Diagnosis: The new species is morphologically close to E. somalicus fromwhich it is distinguished by a more slender habitus (ratio total length/maximumtransverse diameter about 39.35, versus 24.03-30.00 in E. somalicus); a larger number of ventral scales (193 instead of no more than 163 in E. somalicus); smaller size of the scales between the anterior level of eyes and postnasal (their minimum number along the middle region of the snout 3, versus 13⁄4 in E. somalicus). The dorsal pattern shows longitudinal or more or less oblique off-white fragmented stripes that are transverse to more or less oblique in E. somalicus.